Lisa Grigsby

Christmas Eve & Christmas Day Dining for 2017

December 12, 2017 By Lisa Grigsby

Holidays are for spending time with family and friends. However, the holidays can become stressful when you have a houseful of people and are trying to prepare that big Christmas dinner everyone is expecting. Not to mention all the dishes that come with cooking at home that add to the exhaustion.

But just a heads up- your options for dining out can be limited on these days. We’ve put together a list of suggestions, are we’ll keep are ears open to keep adding options as we hear who’s open. If you know of someplace, please let us know.

Christmas Eve, Sunday Dec 24th

Table 33 8am – 3pm Christmas Eve Santa Brunch
130 W. Second St., Dayton, Ohio 45402

Santa has already called in for his spot and he’ll be with us all day!
Make sure you reserve a spot for you and your family.
By reservations only info@table33dayton

Mudlick Tap House 11am – 4pm Christmas Eve Brunch
135 East Second St., Dayton, Ohio 45402

(937) 895-4066 Now accepting reservations for all party sizes!

Start your Christmas celebrations with a holiday brunch at the Tap House!

Ele

Fleming’s Steak House 11am – 9p
4432 Walnut St at The Greene, Beavercreek OH 45440
An ongoing celebration of exceptional steak and wine

Pasha Grill 11am – 10pm
72 Plum St at The Greene, Beavercreek, OH 45440
Reservations accepted (937) 429-9000

The finest in Mediterranean fusion cuisine and an affordable and creative selection of wine and specialty cocktails.

The Caroline 3-8pm Christmas Eve Buffet
5 South market Street Troy, OH 45373
Accepting Reservations (937)552-7676
Buffet price for adults is $26, children 5-12 $14, and kids under 5 are free with a kids menu available!

Lily’s Bistro 5-8:30pm Fried Chicken and Champagne
329 E 5th St, Dayton, Ohio 45402

Reservations suggested (937) 723-7637

While at first odd bed fellows Fried Chicken, while humble, is perfectly paired with the mighty Champagne. A must try.

Our Chefs are working up a very special menu full of premium appetizers and entrees to go with our local, free-range fried chicken.

Young’s Jersey Dairy Store 7am – 4pm (kitchen closes at 2pm)
6880 Springfield Xenia Rd, Yellow Springs, OH 45387 (937) 325-0629
Serving up breakfast, sandwiches and ice cream treats

Christmas Day, Monday Dec 25th

It may seem like everything is closed on Christmas Day, but there are actually a surprising number of restaurants that are open on Christmas. Many McDonald’s, Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts will also be open in the morning, but it varies by location.

Ajanta India Restaurant 11am – 8pm
3063 Woodman Dr, Kettering
(937) 296-9200

Amar India 12-9pm
2759 Miamisburg Centerville Road, Miami Township
(937) 439-9005

CJ Chan 11am – 10pm
536 Wilmington Ave. Dayton, (937) 259-9866
2747 W. Alex-Bell Road, Moraine, (937) 259-8882

Dad’s Family Restaurant 8am – 3pm
3131 S. Main Street in Middletown
(513) 423-0022

IHOP: IHOP fans can rejoice because all IHOPs are open on Christmas Day, sticking with their usual 24/7 hours.

Pasha Grill 11am – 9pm
72 Plum St at The Greene, Beavercreek, OH 45440
Reservations accepted (937) 429-9000

The finest in Mediterranean fusion cuisine and an affordable and creative selection of wine and specialty cocktails.

Shen’s Szechuan & Sushi 11am – 10pm
7580 Poe Ave., Vandadlia
(937) 898-3860

Sky Asian Cuisine 3-9pm
4090 Wilmington Pike, Kettering
(937) 949-9883

TGI Friday 3-9pm
2799 Centre Drive, Beavercreek near the Fairfield Commons Mall
(937) 429-0019

Waffle House Open 24/7, 365 days a year, this restaurant is the gift that keeps on giving.

WDAO’s 27th annual “Love Feast” doors open at 11am, dinner served at noon by Creative Catering. Free for anyone who may be lonely or hungry on Christmas Day. Held at the Wrigth Dunbar Events Center at the corner of W. Thirds Street and Williams.

Mudlick Tap House on Gem City Dayton Dining Podcast

December 12, 2017 By Lisa Grigsby

Gem City Podcast is the first podcast that is all about Dayton! Episodes will highlight and discuss local news topics including business, politics, art, events, and other headlines from Dayton, Ohio. Each episode will feature one or more local guest hosts who will help us examine what is happening in our community. Our target audience is anyone that is interested in keeping up with local topics presented by local Daytonians. Listeners should expect to hear about important business trends, art events, economics, music happenings, festivals, restaurant openings, local outreach programs, and other stories that will bring you closer to your Dayton community and its affairs.

Episode 509: Dayton Dining – Mudlick Tap House

This special Dayton Dining episode features one of downtown Dayton’s newest restaurants: Mudlick Tap House. Owner Jennifer Dean sits down with Dayton Dining’s Lisa Grigsby and GCP host Libby Ballengee to discuss the unexpected way she became a restauranteur, the inspiration behind the name, her decision to move downtown, and advice to diners, small business owners, and those dreaming of owning their own restaurant! It’s a food for thought, for sure!

Mudlick Tap House is a “gastropub,” pouring high-end beer and cocktails served with chef-inspired food. They are all about getting back to the best type of cuisine… food made from scratch. Their culinary creations are regional variations of traditional pub and tavern fare. They’ve created an inviting, industrial, rustic space with our sleek stainless steel countertop bar, exposed brick walls and handmade wooden tables that lend to an intimate and comfortable dining experience sure to become your favorite spot for good company and good libations.

Jen started the restaurant with her partner Forrest because they wanted a place they could hang out in their hometown, Germantown. The quick success lead them to expansion and relocation to the heart of downtown Dayton.

Before her venture into restaurant life, Jen graduated from Wright State, and then spent years in the Dayton area working in the nonprofit sector raising funds and planning events for local organizations. Forrest is a University of Dayton graduate, who worked in the automotive industry, running high end auto shops. He is also a musician and long time member of Funky G and the Groove machine.

Learn more about Mudlick here:

http://mudlicktaphouse.com/happiness-hours/

https://www.facebook.com/pg/mudlicktaphouse/

Daily and Weekly Specials:

Enjoy Happiness Hours

Monday – Friday – 3-6pm Come in to Mudlick Tap House to unwind with sip and snack specials. These will be the happiest hours of your day.

Also check out: Whiskey of the Day promotions

Upcoming Events:

Christmas Eve Brunch –

New Year’s Eve Brunch

New Year’s Eve Prix Fixe Dinner

Click here for more info: https://www.facebook.com/pg/mudlicktaphouse/events/

Intro: Able Danger – Chaos

Outro: Caamp – Ohio

Click here to enjoy the podcast.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: iTunes | Android | RSS

By GemCityBlog| December 11th, 2017|

Charcuterie and Chill at Wright Dunbar Eatery

December 11, 2017 By Lisa Grigsby

Pitmaster Nunez is at it again…and he’s pulled out all of the stops!

With 30+ years experience in smoking meats, the Pitmaster’s curiosity into the culinary art has been piqued… by Charcuterie! A select few have tasted the venison summer sausage, brats and smoked salmon…with RAVE REVIEWS! Now, we’re ready to share some tasty smoked and cured treats with our community!

Texas Beef & Cattle Company is inviting you to a decadent winter celebration: Your presence is requested on Tuesday, Dec 19th, from 6-9pm at Texas Beef & Cattle Company – 1101 West Third Street – Dayton, OH 45402 for heavy hors d’oeuvres – Charcuterie style. Local Beer and Local Texan Beer will be available for purchase, but please bring your own cigars!!

Cost is $15 per person and covers your one-of-a-kind, ground- breaking, testament to what is next hors d’oeuvres.

Fifth Street Brewpub Launches “The Giving Pour”

December 8, 2017 By Lisa Grigsby

Every Monday night for the last few years Fifth Street Brewpub has invited non-profit groups to take over the bar for a few hours to raise funds for local causes. The program has been a huge success and gets booked up rather quickly. So the pub decided to come up with another way to help these charities in December.

This December they’s upped the game by taking the top 9 fundraising groups and put together a December program that challenges these groups to rally their troops to drink beer throughout the month to help them raise more funds! The one groups that has the most glasses of beer sold will walk with one large donation.

Your job is to come drink to support your favorite charity. The beer that sells the most pours* during this program wins. The winning beer’s matched charity will earn $1 per each pour sold.

Antioch Writers’ Workshop at University of Dayton– Imperial Ramona Brown
Dayton Gay Men’s Chorus– Jo Jo’s Midnight Stout
Dayton Society of Artists – DSA– Ludwig’s Kolsch
The Deli at Webster Street & Top of the Market(The Blanket Program)- Saison 484
Equitas Health Dayton Associate Board– Laboratory IPA
FilmDayton– Ice Breaker IPA
Greater Dayton Union Co-op Initiative – GDUCI– Biere de Garde
Project READ– Mint Cookie Stout
The Rubi Girls– Definitely Frances DIPA

*Excludes dates committed for Guest Bartender events. Growler, Howler, and Flight purchases will NOT be included in the votes.

James Franco’s The Disaster Artist

December 7, 2017 By Lisa Grigsby

James Franco delivers loving lampoon pseudo documentary fitting of The Room with The Disaster Artist

“I did not flub that line … I did naaaattt!” Tommy Wiseau (James Franco) attempts to get one of the most infamous lines in The Room right in a scene from THE DISASTER ARTIST. Credit: Justina Mintz, courtesy of A24.

WATCH THE TRAILER(S) HERE:

KEY CAST MEMBERS: James Franco, Dave Franco, Paul Scheer, Ari Graynor, Alison Brie, Jacki Weaver, Josh Hutcherson, Zac Efron and Seth Rogen

WRITER(S): Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber (screenplay); Greg Sestero and Tom Bissell (book, The Disaster Artist: My Life Inside The Room, the Greatest Bad Movie Ever Made on which the film is based)

DIRECTOR(S): James Franco

WEB SITE: https://a24films.com/films/the-disaster-artistHERE’S THE STORY: A film based on the book of the same name about one of the most infamous films of all-time, The Disaster Artist stars Dave Franco as Greg Sestero, a struggling actor living in San Francisco that just can’t find a way to channel his energy into his craft. That is why he admires Tommy Wiseau (James Franco), a wanna be actor who throws everything he has into every scene in every production he’s in. There’s just one problem with that: Tommy is an absolutely, equivocally terrible actor by every stretch of the imagination with no grip on just how bad he is.

Striking up a friendship with Tommy, Greg soon comes to discover his eccentricities: There’s his unique accent, which rings more European than New Orleans as Tommy claims to be … There’s his seemingly endless supply of money despite having no discernible source of income and the apartment in L.A. that Tommy just says Greg should move into when they head to Hollywood to make it big. But while Greg lands a few small roles with a possible shot at the big time, Tommy is not so lucky … Which leads the latter to coming up with an idea that will change both of their lives forever: Write and star in their own movie to show Hollywood they can make it on their own.

If you’ve seen the actual movie they made – The Room – you know what they made. What you may not know, however, is just how crazy the film’s shoot was and how it has become what is often referred to as “the Citizen Kane of bad movies,” but you will …

WHO WILL LIKE THIS FILM THE MOST? Just about anyone who has seen The Room with a group of people Rocky Horror Picture-style; James Franco fans; people who will come to love this film based on what they later discover about The Room; those will embrace the film’s loving homage to a well-intentioned disaster

WHO WON’T (OR SHOULDN’T) LIKE THIS MOVIE? People who haven’t seen The Room so that they can properly understand the lovable lunacy of the original film

SO IS IT GOOD, BAD OR JUST AWFUL? James Franco was nominated but ultimately did not win the award for Best Actor when 127 Hours was released back in 2010. His performance, which chronicled the near demise of Aron Ralston, the hiker who had to amputate his own arm in order to survive an ill-fated trip to Blue John Canyon in 2003. The film required Franco to channel what was arguably his (at the time) most serious effort on celluloid.

With The Disaster Artist, Franco could earn his second acting nomination while earning his first directing one – for The Disaster Artist is a comedic, loving homage made to a film that likely should have never been made that fortunately inspired one of the most entertaining releases of 2017.

Make no mistake about it: The Room is a bad movie. Like, really bad. Like “How in the world did someone think this was a good idea, let alone reportedly sink $6 million of their own money into it?!” bad. But it was done with such earnest sincerity that while it is incredibly easy to make fun of, there is (dare I say) an all-American “can-do” spirit to it that one almost has to admire it – or at least now can from afar. Capturing this spirit is what Franco (James more so than Dave only because the elder brother also directs the picture) do so well with The Disaster Artist: Showcasing just how bad and insane everything was at conceivably every turn while yet capturing the simple dream of making something that will be a classic that Wiseau (and Sestero) had hoped to make.

An obvious student of the film, Franco lets no nuance or moment go unnoticed (a fact which makes the post-credits montage so entertaining) while at the same time carefully riding the line between roasting and showing pity upon its two main subjects. From the insane wardrobe to the unnecessary sets/bad camera work to the weird dialogue, fans of the original Room will be thrilled to watch the moments recreated by the in-on-the-joke Franco and company that Wiseau was blissfully unaware he was creating. Whereas the younger Franco brings all of Sestero’s concerns to life in empathic fashion, Franco nails every moment as the completely unaware yet admirable for his efforts Wiseau, down to his body movements, reactions and his unmistakable vocal inflections.

Throw in great supporting performances from Rogen as an utterly confused crew member and others as equally stymied cast players and The Disaster Artist is part lampoon and part pseudo-documentary, building to an ending that shows how Wiseau ultimately did what he set out to do … Even if it was not how he imagined it all.

But if you’re looking for a film so creative it’s no longer becomes hard to imagine anyone being willing to make one about one of the worst movies of all time, The Disaster Artist proves one man’s trash is audience’s treasure if the right amount of love and lunacy are present.

OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):

Dayton Dining Launches Days of Giving

December 4, 2017 By Lisa Grigsby

It’s our favorite time of year! Each December for the past six years we’ve run a promotion that highlights our local restaurants and gives our readers a chance to experience them. Our 12 Days of Giving keeps growing and we know this year it will actually be at least 16 days of Dining.

We did a little practice run this weekend and 293 of you liked and shared the post and Dawn Millhouse is our first winner! We’ll be sending you a $25 gift card to Mamma DiSalvo’s. It’s that easy, like and share our posts and you’re entered to win. Oh and you must like DaytonDining to be eligible to win as well.

We hope you’ll play along with us this year!
Happy Holidays!

End Near for The Phone Booth Lounge?

December 2, 2017 By Lisa Grigsby

Originally opened in 1964, Kettering’s Phone Booth Lounge has become a regular spot for so many, whether for Wii bowling on Monday, trivia on Tuesday or karaoke on Wednesday. The generously poured cocktails, the comfort bar food, games of pool for $1 and local bands have kept this neighborhood bar packed for years. We highlighted this venue in Feb 2016 in our Dive Bar Series, read about it here.

But it may all be coming to an end in January. Today owners Betty and Jack posted this message on their facebook page:

As of February 1st it has been 5 years since Betty and I bought the business, The Phone Booth Lounge. When we bought the business, we did so with a 5 year lease with the option to buy the property upon completion of the Lease. We are saddened to report that negotiations with the owners of the property have fallen apart. They are asking 250 % more than the appraised value of the property. To meet these demands would be a financial disaster for Betty and me. We are announcing today that the Phone Booth Lounge will close on January 20th, 2018. Betty and I are searching for a new venue to continue the name and second home to so many The Phone Booth Lounge. We have come so far in 5 years, we hate to end it at this location, but greed has over shadowed the success of what Betty and I have built. We have so many people to thank for this success. But just keep in mind, we will prevail and be better than ever. We will post any updates as they arise.

Thank you for your support
Jack and Betty.

Beer Book Author Rick Armon Meet & Greet

November 30, 2017 By Lisa Grigsby

Rick Armon, author of 50 Must-Try Craft Beers of Ohio, will be at the Fifth Street Brewpub this Sat, Dec 2nd from 4-5pm selling and signing copies of his new book! When it comes to knowing beer in Ohio, Rick Armon is the guy. His latest book was just released and he has been making his way around the state to share it. This will be his first signing event in Dayton for this book.

The book is full color with 127 photos and provides descriptions of the beers, interviews with the brewers, and often a sense of humor in the exchanges.

Armon says the book is “Modeled after 1001 Beers You Must Taste Before You Die, the book shares the stories behind some of the most award-winning, popular and unusual beers made in the Buckeye State.

It highlights brews such as Hoppin’ Frog B.O.R.I.S. the Crusher, Great Lakes Christmas Ale, Urban Artifact Pickle Gose, Yellow Springs Smokin’ Handsome, Columbus Bodhi and Jackie O’s Oil of Aphrodite.

The book doesn’t just say, “Hey, here’s a cool beer.” It — hopefully — educates readers about the passion behind the liquid.

For example, The Brew Kettle’s White Rajah IPA was named to compete with Fat Head’s Head Hunter IPA. After all, the White Rajahs wiped out the head hunters in Borneo. Get it?

Then there’s the story about Elevator Ghost Scorpion, a beer that was so insanely hot when it debuted, some people vomited after drinking it.

And do you know who Ermal “Ernie” Fraze is? He invented the pull-top can and Warped Wing Brewing Co. in Dayton immortalized him with Ermal’s Belgian Style Cream Ale.

What the book is not is a rundown of the best beers in Ohio. The best beer is whatever you think it is.”

In addition to the list of 50 beers (plus other beers like them), the author includes a Top 10 Iconic Ohio Foods (and beers to pair with them), 10 Coolest Brewery Names, and 10 Coolest Breweries to Visit. Plus, the book is published by an Ohio publisher!

This book is a wonderful way to learn about the larger Ohio beer community and will make a perfect gift for any beer lover.

YWCA Honors Women of Influence

November 30, 2017 By Lisa Grigsby

Since 1998, the YWCA Dayton WOI A wards have recognized and honored the most influential women in the Dayton area , visionaries who have made a difference in our community through their dedication to the YWCA mission of empowering women, eliminating racism , and promoting peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all. Last night at a social including previous honorees the new honorees were announced:

Women of Influence Class of 2018 are:

• Janice Allen , Treasurer/Chief Financial Officer, Trotwood – Madison City School District

• Mary Bullen , Community Philanthropist & Founder, Home Is The (HIT) Foundation

• Kim Faris , Radio Host, I Heart Media (Dayton’s Hot Country B94.5)

• Jacque Fisher , Chief, Aircraft Survivability Division, Mobility Directorate (WPAFB)

• Sharon Rab , Founder & Chair, Dayton Literary Peace Prize

• Daria Dillard Stone , Parent Advocate & Educational Consultant

Additionally, Pam Morris, founder and CEO of CareSource , will be honored with the 201 8 Women of Influence Lifetime Achievement Award. Morris was first named a Women of Influence Honoree in 2011.

Honorees were selected from a pool of more than 85 nominations by YWCA leadership and the volunteer WOI Committee, led this year by Chair Jenny Michael, vice president of marketing and corporate communications at CareSource, and Co – Chair Debbie Watts Robinson , CEO, Miami Valley Housing Opportunities .

Says Shannon Isom, president and CEO of YWCA Dayton, “ Occasionally, someone will ask me if we’ll ‘run out’ of influential women in the Dayton area to recognize. Clearly, we will not. We stand in awe of these women. They are thought leaders, innovators, literal care givers. They make our community stronger by sharing those gifts to break down barriers and help the most vulnerable among us thrive . That is the mission work YWCA Dayton has done for 147 years, and we are honored to lift up these women in pursuit of that vision. ”

This year marks the 21st anniversary of the award; w ith an average attendance of 800 , it is the single largest daytime nonprofit luncheon in Dayton.

SAVE THE DATE:
2018 Women of Influence Awards Luncheon
March 8, 2018
11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
Dayton Convention Center

Reserve your tickets online.

Holiday Gifts For The Food Lover

November 29, 2017 By Lisa Grigsby

We’ve rounded up a dozen of our favorite food related gifts to help you with your holiday gift giving. Wrap them up and put them under the tree or keep on hand for a hostess gift, or earn some brownie points by giving to your boss. None of these will break the bank and a few may even have some side benefits for the gift givers, too.

Food Cubby Plate Divider 2 PACK

Do you know someone who doesn’t like their food items touching on their plate?

PLATE DIVIDER SEPARATES FOOD with suction cup seal to keep runny food from spreading

PORTABLE EATING DEVICE you can take anywhere to push food onto utensils or separate food

$11.99 from Amazon

Clip-On Strainer

Clip this attachable strainer securely onto pots and pans to drain out liquid seamlessly. Its heat-resistant silicone conforms to the size of the container and snaps on securely, so you can tilt and pour with ease. The built-in spout gives you control of where you pour that pasta water, grease, or whatever needs draining. Plus, its compact design easily stores in a kitchen drawer.

$12.95 from The Grommet

Sriracha Hot Sauce Packets

Original Huy Fong Foods Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce. Only The Best!
Contains 50 Sachets
Licensed Product And Made In The USA!
Sriracha Hot Sauce Is Delicious On Everything from Vietnamese Pho to Pizza

$13.50 from Amazon

Toaster Grilled Cheese Bags

Hot, melty comfort food is now popping up in a more convenient form. These pouches let you pop a cheese sandwich into the toaster for perfect grilling—no pre-heating the pan, waiting to flip the sandwich, or laborious clean up afterward. Simply lift the pouch from the toaster using the integrated handles and slide your sandwich out onto your plate. It also works for grilling pitas, heating leftover pizza and more

$ 9.99 from UncommonGoods

DIY Bacon Kit

Bacon is always great and this DIY bacon kit makes it easy to create mouthwatering, maple-cured bacon in the comfort of your own kitchen—simply add pork belly, and in seven days your slab of homemade bacon will be ready to slice, cook and devour.

$19.95 at Sur La Table

Cheese Board Set with 4 Knives and Slide

The cheese board is perfectly shaped in an oval. The curved edges along with a separate compartment for utensils is ideal to serve cheese, crackers and small sized fruits. The 12 x 7.3 x 1.6 inch size is not too big for any kitchen closet, neither is it too small for enduring the pressure of cutting. The four top notch and sturdy blades of the utensils offer accurate cutting of any form of cheese to any size and in any desired shape. The stainless steel protects the utensils from erosion of any kind including rusting and discoloring

$23.97 from Amazon

Taste of The Spicy Olive

6 60ml Bottles Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar Combinations

Tuscan Herb Infused Olive Oil, Aged 18-year Traditional Balsamic Vinegar, Blood Orange Olive Oil, Cranberry Pear White Balsamic Vinegar, Basil Olive Oil, Strawberry Balsamic Vinegar

$35 from The Spicy Olive

Mamma DiSalvo’s Gift Box

Give the gift of great Italian food, made with love by Mamma- this gift box includes a jar of DiSalvos’s house salad dressing, a jar of sauce and a bottle of their house wine. Other gift box combinations also available.

$40

Homemade Hot Sauce Kit

The secret is in the sauce — especially when you make it yourself! This hot sauce-making kit contains everything you need to craft six different 5 oz. bottles of spicy goodness, including vinegar, spices and bottles, plus our exclusive pepper puree bases for ultimate flavor. Surprise your favorite hot sauce lovers with gifts they’re sure to enjoy.

$44.95 from Gardener’s Supply Company

Kamsah Dipping Set

This handmade hamsa dish set is made up of one large plate and six smaller serving or dipping plates. When placed together, the plates create a bright, colorful hamsa hand that symbolizes peace, prosperity, and protection. Each piece is made by local women for a fair wage in Neapolis, Tunisia, a city that’s been making renowned ceramics for centuries. And Kamsah supports the region even further, giving 10% of its profits to causes that benefit its artisans.

Small $45 Large $65 from The Grommet

Pine Club Variety Pack

Perfect for “out of town” Daytonians or “in town” Pine Club lovers. 2 Pints House Salad Dressing, 2 Pints Stewed Tomatoes, 2 Bottles Steakhouse Sauce packed in a gift box. The box is ready as a gift and can be shipped to your friends, family or customers.

$46.95 from The Pine Club

HIDDEN VALLEY® – MINI RANCH KEG

It isn’t a party unless the Hidden Valley® Ranch is flowin

Height is 9.7 inches and Diameter is 6.3 inches

Stackable and holds up to 5 liters of ranch

Special inside coating meets FDA specifications and keeps the ranch tasting fresh.

Includes a year supply of Hidden Valley Ranch! $50

**Pre-order today: Item begins shipping December 11**

Pasta Machine & Drying Rack

This pasta machine is a Roma traditional style hand-cranked tool. It has adjustable rollers to change the thickness of your dough, and cutters for various shapes like spaghetti. It’s simple to use and easy to clean, even by hand. Once you’ve perfected rolling out and cutting your fresh pasta, let it dry on this bamboo rack.

$52 from Foodie52

If you’ve got a great gift for foodies, leave us a comment below!

Next up we’ll concentrate on gifts for the bar.

Jingle Bell Run Benefits Arthritis Foundation

November 27, 2017 By Lisa Grigsby

Be part of the longest-standing, holiday-themed 5K race series anywhere – and fight with us to conquer arthritis!The Arthritis Foundation’s original Jingle Bell Run is a fun way to get decked out and be festive, while racing to raise funds and awareness to cure America’s #1 cause of disability.

Nov 27th Mystery Monday

November 27, 2017 By Lisa Grigsby

Last week’s photo was an easy one. Katelyn Brink was our winner who correctly identified our photo of Clifton Mill and she’ll be enjoying Rapid Fired Pizza soon.

For three decades Clifton Mill has been lighting up the winter holidays. What began as a simple idea of stringing a few strands of lights on the historic mill for the enjoyment of family and friends is now one of the largest outdoor holiday displays in the country. The Legendary Lights of Clifton Mill now features 4 million lights which decorate the mill, trees, river banks and almost everything in between. Including the water wheel. One of the big crowd pleasers is the covered bridge synchronized light & music show, which occurs hourly each night, now through New Years. For directions to the Mill, click here.

And now for this weeks photo, if you can identify the location, please submit your answer here:

http://goo.gl/forms/dyU55fzc48. We’ll let you know next Monday if you got it right! Good Luck!

And now for this weeks photo, if you can identify the location, please submit your answer here:

http://goo.gl/forms/dyU55fzc48. We’ll let you know next Monday if you got it right! Good Luck!

Giovanni’s Presents Feast of Seven Fishes

November 27, 2017 By Lisa Grigsby

Celebrating an Italian tradition usually observed on Christmas Eve, Giovanni’s will present the Feast of Seven Fishes on Monday, December 18th at 6:30pm.

According to Eataly.com the ancient tradition dates from the Roman Catholic custom of abstinence from meat and dairy products on the eve of certain holidays, including Christmas. The number seven is rooted back in ancient times and it can be connected to multiple Catholic symbols: in fact, the seven seems repeated more than 700 times in the Bible. Also, according to the Roman Catholic Church, seven are the sacraments, the days of the Creation, as well as the deadly sins. Hence seven courses!

The seven course meal will include favorites like Crab Bisque, Linguini with Clams and Lobster Risotto. Not only this, but dinner will also include 3 glasses of wine, an after dinner drink, as well as a dessert from Cake, Hope, and Love. The feast is just $65.99 per person.

Reservations are required and can be made by calling the restaurant at 937-878-1611.

Giovanni’s Fairborn is located at 215 W Main St, Fairborn, Ohio 45324

Graffiti Camp for Girls

November 22, 2017 By Lisa Grigsby

Christine Brunner is heading up a very unique project in Dayton and is bringing Graffiti Camp to Dayton. She says she ” got the idea when my love for Graffiti and my life as a mom of a young artist overtook me via social media one day, and I stumbled upon some articles about a classically trained painter from Ohio who has since moved to the San Francisco area, and she is becoming FAMOUS for her “Graffiti Camp for Girls” concept.”

She sent a blind invitation to Nina Wright, also known as GirlMobb, to someday come bring her camp to Dayton, who wrote back and said she coming to Cincinnati! In December! She then worked really hard and pounded the pavement and got a local University program to say yes, started making plans, only to be nixed by facilities management as they turn the heat OFF in the buildings during the winter break. So the thought was reschedule camp for next summer. But then the owners of Yellow Cab Tavern, art supporters and hosts of such diverse activities as a regular Poetry Slam, Tai Chi, the Day of the Dead Parade, and many classes, concerts and activities, have agreed to host the camp this December 26-28, 2017!

Graffiti Camp gives girls a creative opportunity to enhance their public art skills. Over the course of a week the participants, who range in age from 12 to 17, learn the basics of using spray paint and then work together to collaboratively conceive of, and paint, their own mural. The teaching artists provide creative counsel, image planning, an understanding of tools and application, and safety precautions necessary to use these tools and materials. The sessions have already been a hit, with girls flying in from across the country to participate and Girl Mobb being asked to bring the lessons to other cities. Participants will be nominated by local middle/high schools, must be Dayton residents, team players, and into ART.

So now the race is on to raise the needed funding for the camp: transportation for Ms. Wright, lunches and snacks for the group, tarps and materials, 40-50 cans of paint, drawing supplies, water and beverages, a little nosh for the Unveiling, and some printing of flyers. A Go Fund Me campaign is now live with the goal to raise $1500. This project will live in perpetuity, open to the public, in the 2 restrooms at Yellow Cab Tavern.

Yellow Cab Tavern has also offered an outside wall of their building for Graffiti Camp 2.0 when the weather turns, and Nina Wright has agreed to return…any funds collected over the amount will be banked towards the NEXT session.

Restaurants Open On Thanksgiving 2017

November 19, 2017 By Lisa Grigsby

Americans consume 736 million pounds of turkey on Thanksgiving Day alone with 40 million green bean casseroles made each year and over 100,000 people call the Butterball Turkey hotline every November.

This year, nine percent of consumers will eat Thanksgiving dinner out, according to a survey by the National Restaurant Association. That’s a big jump from six years ago. In 2011, just six percent of those surveyed said they planned to eat out for Thanksgiving. Of the people who eat Thanksgiving at home in 2017, nine percent said they would pick up parts of the meal. And, four percent said they’d buy a complete meal, either dinner in a box, like the kind Stewart offers, or something prepared locally.

So if you’re one of these planned to let someone else cook your Thanksgiving Dinner, here’s our list of where you can go on Thanksgiving in the Miami Valley in 2017:

	The Golden Corral Golden Corral 10am -8pm $13.99 All your holiday favorites, plus steak and shrimp & everything on the Buffet!		Young’s Jersey Dairy 10:30 am – 6pm $22.50
	Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar 11am – 5pm 3 court meal $40		The Golf Club at Yankee Trace 11am or 2pm seating $26.95
	Dayton Convention Center 11am-2pm FREE No tickets required Free RTA rides		Carvers Steaks and Chops @ 11am – 8pm Turkey dinner & full menu
	The Golden Lamb 11am – 6:30 pm $29.95		Roost Events 11am – 3pm $29.95 Buffet
	Mimi’s Cafe 11am – 8pm Enjoy a 3 course meal $18.95		The Dayton Woman’s Club Traditional Turkey Buffet 11:30 am \| The Dayton Woman’s Club
	Harrison’s 12 -6pm Classic turkey dinner $17.95		El Meson 12- 6pm Latin specialties like Paella Valencia and Coconut Crusted Fish, along with our Roasted Turkey Dinner,
	The Wellington Grille Turkey dinner and menu 4-7pm		Bob Evans multiple locations Roasted Turkey Dinner with pie $14.99 11am – 8pm
	The Wright Place at Fairborn Holiday Inn 11am – 1pm $27		Hasty Tasty 5am – 6pm Turkey Dinner $10.95
	Rob’s Restaurant 10:30am – 6pm Turkey Dinner $10.99		Waffle House multiple location open 24 hours
	Pasha Grill 11am – 8pm Mediterranean fusion cuisine		Hollywood Gaming Enjoy all of your holiday favorites like turkey, glazed sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie and more for only $9.99
	Tanks 6pm – midnight Turkey, dressing and your choice of 3 sides with a roll and choice of dessert only 16.95. Free coffee, fountain drinks and ice tea.